Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Das Boot (BB Dec 31, 2018 is what I think is stated in dot form on the bottle neck)-Saranac/FX Matt Brewing Company

Trader #1 from tailgate yesterday from August West. Thanks!

Labeled as a Vienna-style lager, I was a bit surprised by the light amber pour from this 12 ounce bottle. Light, toasted bread nose, followed by light brown sugar and gently roasted, grainy tastes. Some mild earthy, herbal bitterness. IBUs on the label are 20 and the ABV is 5.2%. This was part of a fall mixed 12 pack and was a pleasant way to start off the football, beer-trading season.

[devildeac]

1888 Pils-Saranac/FX Matt Brewing

Beer #2 from a trading session with August West and his fall 12 pack of mixed Saranac/FX Matt brews. Thanks!

Poured a light amber color from a 12 ounce bottle with a medium, off-white head. Bready, floral nose. Mildly sweet, light caramel tastes followed by slight flowery and herbal flavors. IBUs 30 and ABV was 5.3%. More of an old-style American pilsner as I think of the European style as a bit lighter and more delicate. Would pair well with cold cut sandwiches or burgers and chicken off the grill.

[devildeac]

Greybeard-Pisgah Brewing Company

Greybeard, the IPA, not the Greybeard-endorsed Feldenkrais Method

Drink more local!

Poured from a 12 ounce can into an inverted nonic pint glass. Color was orange-yellow with a creamy, off-white head. Mixed aromas of citrus, tropical and pine with different tastes of peach, apricot, a bit of grapefruit and some resin, likely from the Chinook and Nugget hops. IBUs are 68 and ABV was 6.8% (website) or 6.9% (can). Nicely balanced IPA. Paired nicely with grilled chicken, pork chops and burgers. Traded 3 with older son-in-law for the Farmer Ted reviewed below, a Mother Earth Berliner Weisse and a Southern Range Blood Orange Wheat. I have 2 left, one of which should make it to the NCCU tailgate as a trader and the other likely to Ohio or Chicago this week.

[devildeac]

Farmer Ted-Catawba Brewing Company

Drink local!

Twelve ounce can trader with our older son-in-law before a grilled feast at friends' mountain home.

Story: "Farmer Ted’s Cream Ale is an indigenous American beer style created as an answer to post-prohibition German lagers."

Stat sheet:

HOPS: Magnum / Mt Hood

MALT: Pale / Flaked Corn

ABV : 6%

IBU: 7

Impressions/observations: Pale yellow pour with a thin, fizzy head. Aromas of corn syrup (D'oh!) and flowers. Smooth mouthfeel with tastes of Karo syrup, toasted white bread and flowers. I could almost taste the cream (). Nice starter beer with conversation and fellowship among friends and family. Certainly worth a taste/can/draft but wouldn't buy a 6er.

[devildeac]

Black Forest-Saranac/FX Matt Brewing Company

Trader #3 from Friday night from August West, this one a black lager, aka Schwarzbier. Thanks!

This pour from a 12 ounce bottle into a standard pint glass was a medium brown and relatively clear and had a one finger head that lingered to the bottom of the glass. Smelled like toasted pumpernickel bread with tastes of the same, some dark caramel, hints of milk chocolate and minimally bitter, herbal/earthy hops. Pleasant bier to receive as a trader and would pair nicely with various grilled wursts, some Wiener schnitzel or some St. Louis or Memphis ribs, keeping both sides of the Atlantic happy.

[devildeac]

Solid Gold (3-5-18)-Founders (Mahou-San Miguel) Brewing

Six pack of porch pounders for $7. Not a bad deal, even though I waited about a month before selecting from the newest bottle shop in the area.

Poured from a 12 ounce can into a standard pint glass and, to no one's surprise, the color was a clear, light gold (D'oh!). Small, creamy white head with a rim left now about halfway through my serving. Similar aromas to the Saranac/Matt 1888 Pils with a bit more flavor and body. There's some corn syrup, a bit of whole grain toast/cereal and a bit of floral bitterness. IBUs are 20 and the ABV is 4.4% and made a very refreshing post-lawn mowing and summer walk thirst quencher. A couple should make the trip to Columbus and Chicago this week as hosting gifts with another 1 or two ferried to the NCCU tailgate.

[devildeac]

Blood Orange Wheat-Southern Range Brewing Company

Drink sort of local!

Pint can that I received form our older son-in-law as a trader for one of my Pisgah Greybeard IPAs.

Pour was a pale straw color with no head . Nose was a weak, orange Juicy Juice aroma. Mouthfeel was rather thin but with a rather prominent orange zest and floral flavors. They list no IBUs on their website and none are marked on the can but I can't believe the entire grain bill is wh*at so I'll ASSume they used *some* hops in brewing this witbier and guess the IBUs about 20. ABV is quoted from the can and website as 5.3%. This would make a nice pairing with some almond/orange chicken or shrimp. I haven't had Raleigh Brewing Company's First Squeeze in several year but I think that one was better. This one was worth a trader to sample a beer from Monroe, NC's first brewery but don't think I'd re-visit.

[devildeac]

Redeemer (4-14-17)-Olde Hickory Brewing

Our son is collecting NC beer bottle caps and having a difficult time doing so given the massive shift to canning. I happened upon this at the newest bottle shop in town a week ago and the owner offered me this bomber at no cost because of the dating. He also offered to pour it down the drain so I could have the cap but I said I was willing to take a "chance" drinking an almost 18 month old IIPA so we shared this tonight with a Greek salad. It was out-of-date but still potable. Every once in a while, you take one for the team/cause .

Pour was a cloudy, orange-yellow with a moderate foamy head. There are no IBUs stated on the label or website but they claim it was their hoppiest IIPA to date when bottled and I'll believe them. It was indeed a hop monster and I'll guess 100 IBUs and perhaps even more than the 108 they quote for their Death by Hops. Strong nose of pine and resin with palate-searing tastes to match. There's some orange/citrus here, too but the hops are the clear winners. There is an attempt at balance as the ABV is 10% and it's rather boozy, too. I thought this might be a drain pour given the age but we both finished our 11 ounce portions. Not an ale I'd spend $10-15 on for a bomber but the owner will receive some more business soon based on his gifting last week.

[devildeac]

Born to Funk-Wise Man Brewing

For Tripping William.

My first brew from Wise Man (not Steve Wiseman ). I'm impressed. Seriously impressed.

Format: 500 ml bottle (shared with our son tonight after a long day of travel for us and a long day of work for him)

Style: Brett IPA

Cost: about $8 (after my 10% mixed 6er discount from the new guy/bottle shop in town)

Stemware: snifters

Appearance: slightly cloudy and straw-yellow

Aromas: barnyard, funky, wet hay/straw

Mouthfeel: tingly, smooth

Tastes: follows the nose, along with some orange rind, pineapple and grapefruit pith with hints of light caramel

IBU: 80

ABV: 7.2%

Ingredients: 6 strains of Brettanomyces yeast and "an all-star line-up of hops"

Other impressions: This was a superb ale. Fresh Brett IPA? Yes, please. I may buy another of these and let it cellar for a year as Brett beers are good/interesting/delicious fresh but Stone brewed one a couple years ago that fuse brought me called Best After xx/xx/xx and I resisted for about 366 days before imbibing and found it to be wonderful.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

[devildeac]

An attempt at reconstruction of last PM's libations:

Plans (draft)-Jolly Pumpkin Brewing (Hyde Park)

Drink local!

I finished the last 9 ounces or so from a 12 ounce snifter that our younger son-in-law didn't like.

Pour was a cloudy, orange-yellow with no head remaining. Tart/sour/fruity nose and tastes of Sour Patch Kids grapefruit and cherry candies. One of the beertenders claimed both fruits were added. I'm not so sure. There was a finishing funk to this sour fruit ale. No IBUs found but I'll guess 20 with the ABV at 6.9%. Not a bad pairing with a pepperoni and sausage pizza, followed by a mixed green salad with craisins, Feta cheese, candied walnuts and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

[devildeac]

Second shared beer:

Siren (draft)-North Peak Brewing Company

Drink regional (guest tap at Jolly Pumpkin from Traverse City)!

An excellent rendition of a traditional amber ale.

Our younger daughter shared some of her pint with me. Color was medium to dark amber with an earthy nose. Tastes were dark caramel, a bit of milk chocolate with some herbal, woody hops. IBUs were 25 and the ABV was 5% and made a nice pairing with the pizza and fancy salad. I'd give this a comfortable edge over Fat Tire.

[devildeac]

Bam Noire (draft)-Jolly Pumpkin Brewing

More local!

Our younger son-in-law shared some of his pint with me and it was right at home with our pizza and a salad.

This may be the first dark farmhouse ale I've ever sipped. Appearance was a slightly cloudy, medium brown with a small head. A very mild acetic nose was followed by slightly sour/tart tastes of underripe apples and pears that had been dipped in milk chocolate. No IBUs listed so I'll guess 20 and the ABV was 4.5% so we're heading backward on the "proper" ABV tasting route . Another pleasant pairing with the pizza and salad.

[devildeac]

Atom Smasher-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Still local!

Nightcap beer last PM, shared 3 ways.

A very interesting twist to a traditional Oktoberfest beer as this one is aged on oak chips.

Pour from a 12 ounce bottle was a clean/clear amber with perhaps a hint of ruby. Modest, creamy head about an inch high. Enticing toffee, coffee, milk chocolate and caramel aromas with mostly toffee and caramel tastes but with nuances of vanilla and milk chocolate, too, with an earthy/herbal finish. Someone finally listed IBUs on the label and this Märzenbier rolls in at 22.6 (really ?) and the ABV of 7.7% nudges this into the imperial Oktoberfest category. I think the only other imperial Oktoberfest I've ever sipped was Avery's The Kaiser and that is likely to have been a decade ago. I may try to talk our daughter out of their last bottle .

[devildeac]

Let's see how long it takes me to get through a three-way sharing of a Two Brothers flight of seven 4 ounce samples .

First up:

Ebel's Weiss (draft)-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Pretty classic German wh*at beer here with a pale yellow hue, small head and bananas and cloves on the aroma front and subsequent banana, orange and clove on the palate with minimal bitterness (IBUs of 15) and an ABV of 4.9%.

[devildeac]

Twenty Plus (draft)-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Still local!

Another well done example of the style, this one being a German/Czech style pilsner.

Brilliant yellow and clear appearance with a small head. Lovely floral scents followed by typical lager tastes of Czech and German hops and a "rare heirloom barley malt" that was subtly spicy and citrusy. IBUs were 42.1 (on the flight card), which was top end of the "normal" scale and ABV of 4.8%. Paired nicely with some fish tacos.

[devildeac]

Domaine Dupage (draft)-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Still local!

Their flagship, a French country ale that "showed" like an amber and a good one.

Clear light brown color with a small, off white head. Aromas were milk chocolate, caramel and toffee with light herbal hops, a bit of chocolate, coffee and brown sugar. Rather gentle on the palate at 24 IBUs and highly sessionable with ABV at 5.9%. Nice pairing with my fish tacos, black beans and rice and some shared chicken chimichurri nachos.

[devildeac]

Pinball (draft)-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Same local!

Another shared sample/taster with lunch, this one was a pale ale and a mildly juicy one.

Light amber-gold color with a thin head. Citrusy and tropical nose with light grapefruit, mango and pineapple flavors and a pretty subtle pine finish. IBUs of 31 and ABV of 5.4%. It's not hazy nor is it juicy enough to be a New England "style" pale ale/IPA but might just convince a new beer drinker that pale ales are not hoppy/bitter.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

[lawgrad91]

UFO Apricadabra. Mass Bay Brewing Company.

It’s good. It says refreshing Hefeweizen with a hint of apricot. 4.8% alcohol.

I would drink it with a lot of different things.

But it tastes best with a Duke victory. It tastes like the tears of a Wildcat.

[devildeac]

Prairie Path (draft)-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Sample #5 from yesterday n(shared).

Light gold color with a small, off-white head. Floral nose followed by light brown sugar and Euro hops (Saaz and Golding) flavors. IBUs at 29 and ABV at 5.1%. Nice pairing with shared fish tacos and chicken chimichurra nachos.

[devildeac]

Outlaw 2.0 (draft)-Two Brothers Artisan Brewing

Next to last sample (shared) from yesterday.

Light bronze hue, small, white head with a juicy grapefruit and pineapple aromas and a fresh squeezed citrus/tropical juice blend. "New American hops" listed on beer card but none named. IBUs of 60 and ABV of 6.3% for this IPA. I *think* this follows their (Mosaic) Outlaw from this spring with fuse and I both liked a lot.